


Sugar High

by faptainpabu



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: AU, Empire Records AU, Gen, Happy go lucky teenagers only not, mentions of Justin Hammer
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-09-04
Updated: 2014-09-04
Packaged: 2018-02-16 03:32:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,077
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2254284
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/faptainpabu/pseuds/faptainpabu
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"My life," Tony Stark began, "has reached its pinnacle."  Empire Records AU.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Sugar High

**Author's Note:**

> This little plot bunny attacked me while I was watching Empire Records the other night. This will follow the plot of the movie more or less exactly, with a few minor tweaks and changes.
> 
> Enjoy!

“My life,” Tony Stark began, “has reached its pinnacle.”

Pepper Potts stared at him blankly. They’d both just finished an 8-hour shift at Shield Records, the last bastion of decent (and decently-priced) music in their small town, and Pepper had entered their manager’s office to talk about her work schedule in the upcoming week. They worked under the caring and undeniably intimidating gaze of Phil Coulson, a former drummer for a garage band, a divorcee, and the surrogate father to all of his employees. He took care of them, and they tried not to kill each other while he was working. That did not explain, however, why Tony was in his office.

“Phil’s letting me close the store tonight,” Tony explained, giving Pepper a pointed look. Her eyebrows raised, and she had to take a minute to decide whether or not he was joking. Tony was a good guy, a smart guy, but he was extremely irresponsible. It was one of the reasons Pepper had rejected his advances for the two years she’d worked at Shield.

“You’re kidding?” she asked hopefully. Tony shook his head, and Pepper sighed. “That’s a big responsibility, Tony.”

“Yes, but Phil’s rules are extremely simple,” Tony said, lifting a hand to count off on his fingers as he spoke. “Count the money twice. Keep my hands off of his beer, drumsticks, and Supernanny tapes.”

“My, my, how will you remember it all?” Pepper replied snarkily, moving to leave. She paused, then turned to look at her friend. “Good luck, Tony. Don’t screw it up.”

She left without another word, and Tony didn’t move. He remained seated on Phil’s couch for a moment, studying the wall opposite him, then sighed heavily.

“A responsibility like this requires the obedience of a saint.”

 ~~~

Within the hour, Tony found himself half-drunk on Phil’s emergency beer, watching Supernanny and drumming idly on the money he’d just finished counting. He sat up quickly, setting the drumsticks aside as he went in search of the bank bag to put the money in ( _Take the money to the bank, Tony, the one on Third,_ Phil’s voice in his head reminded him).

The middle drawer at the top of the desk was his first stop, and sure enough, there was the bag. He pulled it out, only to notice a folder underneath with large, worrying words emblazoned on it.

“Hammer Music Franchise Option Agreement?” he read aloud, the words tasting bitter in his mouth. He read the papers inside, a grimace stretching across his face as he realized that the store may be sold any minute. This could not stand. This would not stand. He threw the folder down, eyes narrowing. “In the immortal words of the Doors: _“The time to hesitate is through”_.”

He was out the door before he had time to think, the bag of money tucked into his favorite leather jacket as he locked up the store and climbed into his car. He barely registered where he was going until the sign for Atlantic City came up in front of him. Well, that was one way to get the money, he decided with a grateful nod for his subconscious.

He found a casino that wasn’t too packed, parking out front and heading in. Tony headed straight for the craps table, placing the money on the table. The croupier, who’d been about to start, looked up.

“Bets, end of roll. New roller. Place your bets, please, ladies and gentleman, place your bets down,” he was saying. He noticed the money Tony had set down, and his eyebrows raised in surprise. “We have a high roller.”

“$9,104,” Tony confirmed. “I counted it. Twice.”

“I like your style, baby,” purred a woman to his left. Tony looked up, shrugging and looking back down at the table.

“Well, Phil told me to count it twice,” he stated humbly.

“No more bets please, ladies and gentlemen. Place your bets down, place your bets down,” the croupier was saying now, and he handed Tony a set of dice. Tony studied the dice in his hand for a second, then looked back up.

“So do I just.. throw it and get a seven?” he asked. The croupier laughed.

“That would be very good, sir.”

“Feeling lucky?” the mysterious woman to his left asked, leaning towards him over the table.

“No,” Tony responded, shaking his head. “I’m guided by a force much greater than luck.”

He threw the dice, watching intensely as they rolled and landed on.. seven. He let out a breath of relief he hadn’t realized he’d been holding.

“Seven! A winner!” the croupier crowd, pushing his winnings towards him. The woman on Tony’s left let out a purr of delight, throwing her arms around Tony’s shoulders.

“Baby, you are sex!”

“I know,” he said softly, studying the money in front of him.

“Same lucky shooter, put your bets down, ladies and gentlemen. Hot shooter on the line!” the croupier called out to the other patrons of the table. Tony made a decision, looking up determinedly.

“You know what? Let it ride.”

“Hot dice coming out,” the croupier said, holding out the dice. Tony took them with a nod, only to be stopped by a large, tired-looking man on his right.

“That’s an $18,000 bet. You sure you know what you’re doing, kid?” he asked, concern and anxiety evident in his face.

“No, but I know this—If I win this roll, I will save the place that I work at from being sold, as well as the jobs of my friends that work there. Thus, striking a blow at all that is evil and making this world a better place to live in,” Tony explained. The gamblers at the table stared at him uncomprehendingly, so Tony sighed and shook his head. “And I’ll buy you guys a drink.”

They seemed pleased with that, so as the croupier was calling out the end of betting, Tony looked down at the dice in his hand.

“Phil, this one’s for you,” he muttered, and let the dice go.

_Shit._

“Two! Craps. End of roll!”

“You know something?” the woman on his left asked, pulling away from Tony with a pout. “You used to be cute.”

The man on his right chuckled, giving Tony a pointed look. “You _used_ to have nine thousand bucks.”

Tony couldn’t move for a second, dumbstruck. Finally, he looked up.

“I wonder if I’ll be held responsible for this.”


End file.
